Is La Roche-Posay Cruelty-Free And Vegan?
La Roche-Posay is a popular dermatologist-recommended skincare brand. They are famous for including thermal spring water in their products, which can soothe sensitive skin and help to treat conditions like eczema and acne. However, vegan consumers also care about the ethics of a cosmetics company. So is La Roche-Posay cruelty-free and vegan?

La Roche-Posay is not cruelty-free or vegan. While they claim to not test their products on animals, La Roche-Posay sells their products in mainland China, where products legally must be tested on animals. In addition, they use animal-derived ingredients in their products, meaning they are also not vegan.
In this post, we’ll discuss what prevents La Roche-Posay from being a cruelty-free and vegan brand. We’ll also offer some cruelty-free alternatives to some best-selling La Roche-Posay products.
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Is La Roche-Posay Cruelty-Free?
Unfortunately, La Roche-Posay is not a cruelty-free brand. They state on their website that they don’t test any of their products or ingredients on animals or ask any third parties to do so on their behalf. However, they also state that they make an exception to this rule when animal testing is required by law.
This means that La Roche-Posay willingly tests their products on animals in places where they are legally required to do so. While it’s great that they don’t test their products on animals where it’s not required, testing products on animals under any circumstances prevents a skin care brand from being cruelty-free.
Is La Roche-Posay Owned By A Parent Company That Tests On Animals?
La Roche-Posay is owned by the parent company L’Oreal. L’Oreal continues to test their products on animals, despite rumors circulating about them changing their policies on animal testing.
L’Oreal claims that they no longer test their products on animals anywhere in the world unless it’s required by law. Yet they sell their products in China, so they pay the Chinese government to test their products on animals before selling them to the public.

Is La Roche-Posay Certified Cruelty-Free?
No, there aren’t any organizations that have certified La Roche-Posay as cruelty-free. The two most common ways for a skin care brand to be certified cruelty-free are to be listed on PETA’s “Companies That Don’t Test On Animals” list and to be authorized to use the Leaping Bunny logo.
La Roche-Posay cannot be certified cruelty-free by either of these organizations because they test their products on animals in China, where it’s required by law. Only companies who do not test their products on animals under any circumstances may be certified cruelty-free by these organizations.
In fact, not only is La Roche-Posay not certified cruelty-free by these organizations, but they are also listed on PETA’s “Companies That Do Test On Animals” list.
Is La Roche-Posay Vegan?
La Roche-Posay is not vegan for multiple reasons. For many vegans, the fact that La Roche-Posay tests their products on animals in China is enough to keep the brand from being truly vegan. Before a company can be considered vegan, they should refuse to sell their products anywhere that animal testing is required by law, like in mainland China.
In addition, many La Roche-Posay products contain ingredients derived from animals. Some of the non-vegan ingredients in La Roche-Posay products include milk, keratin, honey, lanolin, and collagen. They may offer a few vegan-friendly products, but if you’re looking to support a completely vegan brand, La Roche-Posay isn’t the right choice.
Do La Roche-Posay Products Contain Animal-Derived Ingredients?
Yes, many La Roche-Posay products contain animal-derived ingredients, and they don’t claim to be a vegan brand. Some of their popular products contain keratin, lanolin, collagen, honey, and/or milk, just to name a few. However, not all of their products contain animal-derived ingredients.
Is La Roche-Posay Sold In China?
La Roche-Posay is sold in China. By law, cosmetics must be tested on animals before being placed on store shelves in mainland China. This means that La Roche-Posay products are tested on animals.
Cruelty-Free Alternatives To La Roche-Posay
If you’re looking to support a skin care brand that is 100% cruelty-free and vegan, La Roche-Posay won’t fit the bill. However, there are plenty of vegan skincare brands that offer similar products. Here are two of La Roche-Posay’s most common products and similar alternatives from cruelty-free and vegan brands.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser is a popular hydrating facial cleanser because it washes impurities from the skin without damaging the skin’s natural barrier.
Key ingredients in this product include La Roche-Posay’s mineral and antioxidant-rich thermal spring water, skin barrier-replenishing ceramide-3, and niacinamide, a favorite of those with oily and acne prone skin (thanks to its oil balancing properties).
The cleanser is supposed to be gentle on sensitive skin and won’t aggravate skin with allergies, and also works well if you have a dry skin type.
Instead of La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser, try Acure Radically Rejuvenating Cleansing Cream. This facial cleanser features olive oil, cocoa butter, and soothing actives like aloe vera, marigold, and chamomile extracts. It’s great for sensitive skin and won’t irritate allergies. It gently washes away dirt and makeup while moisturizing and rejuvenating skin at the same time.
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer utilizes La Roche-Posay’s thermal spring water, glycerin, ceramide-3, and niacinamide to moisturize the skin and repair its natural barrier. It’s suitable for use with sensitive and allergy-prone skin.
Instead of La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer, try e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Face Cream. This nourishing moisturizer is formulated with niacinamide, vitamin B5, squalane, and hyaluronic acid. This combination of ingredients helps to hydrate and firm even the most sensitive skin without leaving a greasy residue.
There are many other affordable and effective cruelty-free and vegan alternatives to La Roche-Posay skincare products. Please read the ingredient label before purchasing a product to ensure it doesn’t include animal derived ingredients. You can also look for the Leaping Bunny logo, which certifies that the skincare product is both cruelty-free and vegan.
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Final Thoughts: Is La Roche-Posay Cruelty-Free And Vegan?
La Roche-Posay is not a cruelty-free and vegan company. If you’re looking for a cruelty-free skincare option, consider cruelty-free brands like Acure, e.l.f., Drunk Elephant, Pacifica, or Paula’s Choice.
Hopefully, as more consumers demand cruelty-free and vegan options, La Roche-Posay will eventually make the switch to being a fully cruelty-free and vegan brand.
Until then, there are plenty of other great cruelty-free options out there that don’t test on animals anywhere in the world or at any stage of product development and don’t pay others to do so.
Thanks for reading!